Getting Started

Disclaimers and Self-Introduction

Want to start play Mahjong? Me too. About a couple of months ago (in a more serious sense, I started messing around with it with friends years ago). This game is not good for your soul.

If your wish to continue, welcome. I wouldn't say I'm a great deal knowledgeable but hopefully this can be your bridge to understanding players way better than myself.

I play on the MahjongSoul Client and thus, screenshots and some tutorial stuff will be using its UI. Tennhou exists for an anime-less experience. I don't know much about that client but will move to it after I ween off shiny Dora (don't worry if you don't get it)

Welcome to the bronze room

The Game

Most starter guides say Mahjong is like poker (or Texas hold'em? I don't know the difference). I mostly agree. Here's my take on the caveats

You logged into the MahjongSoul client? Great! Do the tutorial. I haven't done it in a while.

What should you know before getting into the game? In my opinion, most of the important details of the UI, some basic mechanics and some basic win conditions (referred to as yaku)

1. Round wind
2. Seat wind - red indicates the dealer. Dealer wins get a point bonus and get to keep the seat. Dealer losses hurt extra hard.
3. Round
4. Wall - how many tiles left to draw. Round ends when there are no more tiles to draw.
5. Dead wall
6. Dora Indicator - the tile next in sequence is worth more points. Note: the tile being there meaning it's pool is actually diluted.

7. Bank - where failed Riichis go to die. A perfect opportunity for grave robbing.
8. Some controls - I recommend keeping auto sort on though I turn it off if going for certain win conditions (yaku). Bottom line, toggle it on at round start. I recommend turning on no chi/pon/kan unless you have yakuhai (if you don't understand this, keep it on)
9. Opponents hand - MahjongSoul client shows whether the tile was discarded from draw or from their hand. A bit of an advanced technique but can clue you into how developed your opponents hand is

I'll prepare a screenshot of a starting table.

The goal

Is to win. Which is why you need yaku (win conditions). We'll be using more terminology from here. Any that I mention here should be in the glossary.

The building blocks

You've got three suits plus a special class of tiles called the honors. Honors come in two flavors: dragons and winds. I will refer to the suits as m/s/p in text.

How do we get there?

Let's take a look at that hand. You start with 13 tiles plus a draw. You can then choose to discard what you just drew or a tile from your hand and you sit with 13 tiles unitl the turn comes back to your turn.

During other people's turns, they will also discard a tile. If it completes a set of three tiles (either in triplets (111m) or sequences (123m), all in the same suit) you may call it.

See that colorful button? Ignore it. Don't press it. In truth, it depends. But you probably shouldn't. Here's my flowchart but even then, it still depends on many different factors.

Pon can be called from anyone and completes a triplet. Chi can only be called from the person on your left and completes a sequence. Kan completes a quadruple then flips a dora indicator.

For a hand to even start to be considered for yaku, it needs 4 sets plus a pair. That's 14 tiles. But you sit with 13 tiles for the most part, right? Right, so the winning tile must be drawn (Tsumo). Or from someone discarding your winning tile (Ron). This state of waiting is called Tenpai(ready hand).

I recommend having a pair ready in your hand (ideally, two. The more pairs the more I feel you have to navigate your hand).

Furiten

WAIT. Before you can win your hand, I need to ask. Did you discard a tile previously that you need now to win? Yes? Congrats, you're in jail. Furiten is a state where you did not previously use a tile that would have resulted in a win. Luckily, you can still win if you Tsumo (draw the winning tile). Furiten implies Tenpai so you will be awarded points if no one wins. Read more here

Yaku

All simples (Tanyao)

No terminals or honors. Very simnple and what most hands usually gravitate towards. You may call other player's tiles (also called, opening your hand)

Yakuhai

Triplet of Round wind, Seat wind or any of the dragons. You may open your hand (call other player's tiles)

Riichi

The game's namesake. Any combination of 4 sets of three plus a pair. Strictly no calling other player's tiles (menzenchin or closed hand). Requires 1000 points to initiate. Think of it as a bet. "I bet 1000 points I will draw my tile or one of you deal in". Reveals tiles underneath flipped dora indicators for the chance at extra points (ura dora)

Note: your hand should have other yaku mixed in

Seven pairs/All pairs (Chiitoi)

What it says on the tin. Menzenchin or closed hand by nature due to not being able to call pairs unless it's a Ron

Note: do not force this hand. I personally think it's a fun hand to play if given the chance since it tends to be disruptive to other people as well (no way they can have a triplet of your tiles). Prepare for a lot of heartbreak though. Avoid it by converting into other yaku.

Pure double sequence

All triplets

Half/Full flush

Pinfu

Yakuman

Some simpler ones just in case the Mahjong gods decide to grace you with the maximum amount of points earnable in one turn. You get more points from these than your starting points meaning you could bankrupt someone turn one (I was a victim of this). Do not force these

Thirteen Orphans (Kokushi Musou)

All terminals and honors with one of them pairing up

If you don't want to deal into this, look at your opponents discards. No terminals or honors, sus.

Big Three Dragons (Daisangen)

Triplet of every dragon. Pretty simple all things considered.

If you don't want to deal into this, don't discard dragons if you see someone with 2 dragons pon'd. It's relatively hard to have 2 triplets of dragons closed, but if they do, you just have to accept you got luck diffed.

Extra strategies, More disclaimers and Next steps

That's pretty much all I would tell someone in their first hour of Riichi Mahjong. I am also on this journey myself so here are some tips that I'm working on getting better at remembering and applying.

Ryanmen waits

Folding

Suji

When to hold, when to fold

Point counting

Resources

Here are some links for Maj related stuff I like

• Play with bots
• Efficiency trainer
• Yu_song: funny and entertaing guy. More for casual viewing but not saying you won't learn.
• Rox_R: a bit more chill which is more my speed for casual viewing. Shorts are entertaining and more edited. Streams are also more fun with a guess the cut segment.
• Xanxust: concise strategy videos for more serious watching for learning.

Glossary

Since Japanese terminology is often used (for better word:information ratio imho), here's a table. For both mine and your sake.